Handling sleep time in kids is a common concern amongst parents these days. There can be various reasons why your child cannot attain proper hours of sleep as per their physical requirements. This blog will guide you through the causes, required terms as per their age group, and how to develop good sleeping practices for your child.
How Much Sleep Does My Child Require?
As two individuals can’t be identical, so is their sleep pattern. Some kids require less than seven hours of sleep, while others may require at least nine hours to feel well-rested. It broadly depends upon various factors such as age, genes, sleeping environment, and the child’s health conditions. Below are a few recommendations on the total sleep time (including day-time naps) for children based on their age.
- Newborns (aged 0-3 months): 14-17 hours
- Infants (aged 4-11 months): 12-15 hours
- Toddlers (aged 12-35 months): 11-14 hours
- Preschool Kids (aged 3-5 years): 10-13 hours
Consequences Of Recurring Short Sleep
When an individual cannot get enough sleep, several impacts begin to emerge on the person’s health. It adversely affects the person’s physical and mental well-being, leading to various medical disorders. These can be either short-term or long-term, depending upon their severity.
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Short-term Consequences:
Emotional distress, mood swings, loss of memory, problems while performing daily activities, psychological issues, etc.
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Long-Term Consequences:
Cardiovascular issues, hypertension, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, suicidal thoughts, increased risk of colorectal cancer, etc.
Practices To Put Your Child Asleep
You may face issues when your child finds it troublesome to fall asleep. It could be due to numerous factors. You can assist your toddler with trying the following practices:
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Obey A Routine Before Bed
It majorly depends on what time your kid wakes up. To this, backward count the number of hours of sleep your child needs. It will give a time by which you should put your child into bed.
For example, if you wish to wake your child by 8 AM, and your baby is a preschool kid, they will require about 10-13 hours of sleep. You should try putting them into bed by 8 PM- 9 PM for the same reason. To provide enough sleep to a toddler aged 1-3 years, you may put them to sleep by 7 PM- 8 PM.
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Fix A Sleep Time
Parents act as role models for their children. Before expecting your child to follow something, make sure you obey it. Fix a time to bed and carry your child along. It will comfort them, and the kid feels secure at the same time.
Challenges Faced While Handling Sleep Time In Kids
Initially, you may face numerous problems putting your child to sleep. It is usual for children to encounter difficulties while following a particular pattern for the first time. But if your toddler meets difficulty even after regular trials, there might be other reasons behind it.
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Introduction To Insomnia And Its Types
Insomnia is a condition when a person is unable to sleep naturally, even after numerous attempts. Although it is a common concern amongst adults, it can affect a person at any age.
In children, it emerges as behavioural insomnia. Behavioural insomnia further has two types: sleep-onset (dependency on patterns or objects to fall asleep) and limit-setting (inconsistent bedtime routines).
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Sleep Disorders
Another cause of your child’s inability to sleep adequately shall be due to a sleep disorder. Check out our blog on “Sleep Disorders In children” to explore the subject in detail.
Consequences Of Recurring Short Sleep
When an individual cannot get enough sleep, several impacts begin to emerge on the person’s health. It adversely affects the person’s physical and mental well-being, leading to various medical disorders. These can be either short-term or long-term, depending upon their severity.
-
Short-term Consequences:
Emotional distress, mood swings, loss of memory, problems while performing daily activities, psychological issues, etc.
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Long-Term Consequences:
Cardiovascular issues, hypertension, diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, suicidal thoughts, increased risk of colorectal cancer, etc.
Tips For Handling Sleep Time In Kids
Taking small but consistent steps can bring noticeable differences in your kid’s sleep patterns. Here are a few tips for you to ease this approach.
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Suitable Nighttime Routine
Reading out a storybook can help your child feel comfortable in bed, enabling them to get a better sleep.
An excellent and doable bed routine can quickly help your child adjust to the new changes. It prepares the child’s mind and body to relax, making them ready to fall asleep. Reading a bedtime story, turning on soothing music or that of your child’s choice, giving them a warm water bath are a few activities that can do wonders.
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Pleasant Sleep Environment
A comforting surrounding is necessary to get a relaxing and adequate sleep, especially for kids. Even if the child initially falls asleep due to tiredness, they will wake up after a while if the surrounding is not optimised as per their needs. A quiet, dark, and cool room is a good idea, to begin with. If the problem persists, your mattress might not be comfortable enough.
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Good Sleep Hygiene
Good hygiene is essential to get sufficient sleep. Avoid giving day-naps to your child, if possible. It reduces their total sleep time and creates an inability to fall asleep again.
Summary
Now that you know the reason behind your kid’s insufficient sleep and the consequences it can create, you should take suitable remedies to fix the problem. Handling sleep time in kids isn’t as complex as it appears. Discipline and consistency are all you require to develop a good sleep time routine in your child.
